Chapter 54: I Like You
Min Zhi’s independent practice piece, drawn and erased, erased and drawn, after several hours, Xi Leng’s eyelids started to droop.
The long-silent model, breaking free from the constraints of his command, stood up and walked towards the amateur artist.
Min Zhi reacted quickly, swiftly removing the tacks from the four corners of the drawing paper, folding it in half, and tucking it into his chest.
Hiding it in plain sight.
Xi Leng paused: “Let me see?”
Min Zhi refused flatly: “No.”
Xi Leng didn’t have any experience teaching drawing, but he could roughly guess from Min Zhi’s hurried and secretive movements, asking pointedly: “What monster did you draw me as…”
Min Zhi smiled without saying a word.
Fortunately, Xi Leng had quite a bit of teaching experience from the archery range, patiently coaxing: “Even an ugly bride has to meet her in-laws, if you don’t let me see it, how can I teach you?”
Min Zhi’s reply, however, was completely unexpected, he deliberately opened his mouth wide, his round, metallic tongue stud clearly visible, gleaming.
“Then what if the bride isn’t ugly?”
“…She still has to meet her in-laws.”
“What if the in-laws are gone?”
Xi Leng realized he was joking, but he didn’t know how to respond, so he could only resort to silence.
This was his nature, and also his usual way of avoiding difficult questions.
Min Zhi, however, wouldn’t let the topic go, continuing to ask: “At least let me see a photo, aren’t you even a little curious?”
Xi Leng tried to steer the conversation back on track, sighing helplessly: “…Aren’t you supposed to be learning how to draw?”
Min Zhi’s smile was meaningful, not even bothering to pretend: “Mm-hmm, I am learning.”
As a result, they were once again in a slightly awkward stalemate.
Xi Leng once again regretted choosing the loft as his studio.
After all this, he hadn’t taught much, and the night deepened.
Midnight, no bells chiming.
However—knock, knock, knock…
A strange knocking sound came from outside the door, each knock clearer than the last, eerie and unsettling.
Along with a soft, cautious voice: “Ge…”
“Xiao Yi?” Xi Leng realized, then frowned. “It’s only Wednesday, isn’t it?”
But he still went to check. As he went downstairs, he didn’t forget to look back and instruct: “Wait for me, don’t come down, don’t make a sound.”
This made it even more like a secret rendezvous.
Even if he didn’t realize it, Min Zhi’s smile gave it away.
He pressed his lips together and quickly went downstairs to open the door.
Standing outside was indeed the rebellious teenager.
“Ah, you scared me to death.” Rong Xingyi, startled by his own actions, his peach blossom eyes lighting up upon confirming it was his brother, exclaimed, “Ge! So you were home. You scared me.”
Xi Leng sighed softly, looking at him intently: “I told you this is my home, if anyone’s running away, it’s not me.”
Rong Xingyi said matter-of-factly: “I wouldn’t run away from home either.”
“Then what’s going on?” Xi Leng asked. “Snuck out of the dormitory?”
He hadn’t expected Rong Xingyi to be able to sneak out of such a secure school.
“The dormitory is the dormitory, home is home… this isn’t running away.” Rong Xingyi’s logic was impeccable. “I couldn’t sleep in the dormitory, my two roommates snore so loudly! I was about to explode! Look at my dark circles…”
Xi Leng narrowed his eyes and examined him for a few seconds, reluctantly finding a few bloodshot vessels from lack of sleep, not even as bad as when he was playing video games all summer at home.
Xi Leng naturally didn’t buy it: “Then I’ll go with you to school tomorrow and get you a different dorm.”
Rong Xingyi was speechless.
He rolled his eyes, glancing around the apartment, awkwardly changing the subject: “Ge, what are you doing so late at night? Painting again? Painting Min Zhi-gege?”
Xi Leng’s alarm bells went off, if Rong Xingyi accidentally let it slip, he would be screwed.
“No.” He hurriedly ushered Rong Xingyi out. “Go to sleep, I’ll send a message to your teacher, don’t do this again…”
Xi Leng was unbelievably agreeable tonight.
Rong Xingyi was too happy to think about the lit-up loft.
After sending Rong Xingyi back to his room and telling him to sleep, Xi Leng didn’t go out either. He took out his phone and sent Min Zhi a message.
【Xiao Yi and I are in his room, you go back first】
【See you next time】
After waiting for a while, confirming that Rong Xingyi on the bed was sound asleep, he turned off the last bedside lamp and quietly left the room.
Ban Li was sleeping on the cat tree in the living room, curled up just like Rong Xingyi.
He didn’t disturb the kitten, quietly going upstairs, pushing open the door, and tentatively calling out: “…Min Zhi?”
“Hm?”
Min Zhi poked his head out from the loft railing.
“…Why are you still here?”
“Waiting for you, of course.” Min Zhi replied matter-of-factly.
Xi Leng glanced at his phone. Used to staying up late painting, his eyelids also felt heavy. “It’s almost one o’clock, aren’t you going back?”
Perhaps because he was sleepy, the usually cold and aloof person seemed much softer.
Not taking advantage of this wasn’t being a man.
Min Zhi, leaning against the railing with one hand supporting his chin, looked down at him, then after a while, said: “Too lazy to move, I’ll just sleep here.”
Even if “here” was right next door.
“I’d have to go down two floors to go home.” Min Zhi added.
Xi Leng had no other choice: “Then I’ll go prepare the guest room for you.”
“No need, it’s troublesome.” Min Zhi flatly refused. “I see this sofa can be converted into a bed, it’s a bit short, but sleeping diagonally should be fine.”
If the young master insisted on roughing it, Xi Leng couldn’t stop him.
“Just get me a blanket.”
Min Zhi wanted to sleep on the sofa, but it caused some trouble for Xi Leng.
The master bedroom on the second floor was particularly large, twice the size of Rong Xingyi’s room, with a ceiling over three meters high. On one side was a normal double bed and a bathroom, on the other side was a walk-in closet as large as an ordinary bedroom, and above the closet was the loft.
In other words, if Min Zhi leaned against the railing and looked down, he would be looking directly at his bed.
Xi Leng tossed and turned in bed, unable to find a comfortable position.
He simply sat up and looked upwards.
The night was dark, but he was confident he could spot those dark eyes, because they were bright, like stars in the night.
He looked for a few seconds, but they weren’t there.
Min Zhi wasn’t watching him from the railing. Thinking about it, why stand when he could lie down.
But even after lying back down, he still couldn’t sleep.
The phone on his nightstand vibrated slightly, emitting a bright light in the darkness.
Zhengzhu (Idol): 【Hey, are you asleep?】
[Translator’s note: Zhengzhu is slang used by fans to refer to the celebrity or artist they admire, ‘the idol’ or ‘the main person’. Fans often use this term when discussing their idol’s actions or sharing information about them online.]
The guy in the loft sent a message from his main account, seemingly serious.
Xi Leng sat up, clutching the blanket, holding his phone, instinctively turning off the screen, then turning it back on again.
Like the flickering light sticks in the dark audience of a concert.
He suddenly realized this and looked up at the loft again. Min Zhi, able to see the light below, must have noticed that he read the message but didn’t reply.
He could only reply with a “no.”
The “typing…” indicator immediately appeared above the screen.
Min Zhi typed for a long time.
【You know I have a bad temper, but I’m incredibly patient with you, it’s strange, there’s no particular reason, you’re just special to me, different from everyone else, you’re one of a kind】
【Although I don’t know what you’re hiding from me, I’m sure I’ll like it too】
Xi Leng froze, his finger hesitantly hovering over the keyboard.
Min Zhi was always straightforward, not one to beat around the bush. He could tell Xi Leng was hiding something, but he probably hadn’t imagined that he had told a huge lie.
Min Zhi continued typing.
Two more messages appeared on the screen.
【I’ll like everything about you】
【Including the parts you don’t like about yourself】
Xi Leng silently stared at the phone, afraid of accidentally touching the screen, so he held the edges instead.
He burrowed under the blanket, closing his eyes and sighing deeply.
No wonder you’re the protagonist.
The more I get to know you, the more despicable I feel. It seems fate’s biased arrangement wasn’t without reason.
The person who once wrote “fate cannot make me submit,” suddenly lost all will to resist. He felt utterly exhausted, his eyes slowly closing.
But his phone was still vibrating.
Min Zhi’s messages kept coming.
【Perhaps because you’re my fan, you’re projecting all your desires and unmet expectations onto me? You probably think I’m incredibly successful, have a perfect life, a flawless personality, so you worship me?】
【But that’s not the real me, it’s just what you imagine】
【I’m not a god, my life is also a mess, I have countless flaws (please refer to my scandals)】
【Don’t you want to know the real me? My past, and the music curse, you’re clearly curious】
【Just like I want to know you.】
Xi Leng hid under the blanket, his face repeatedly illuminated by the phone screen.
Min Zhi was far more mature than he thought.
Xi Leng had never actively approached anyone, never crossed the polite social boundaries, but inexplicably, just as Min Zhi said, inexplicably, his understanding of this person was also gradually deepening.
All thanks to Min Zhi’s efforts, his openness and sincerity.
Xi Leng’s thoughts wandered, his mind unusually chaotic, feeling as if he had lived two lifetimes in vain.
The phone vibrated, a new message.
【Also】
Just two words, setting the stage.
Just as Xi Leng was imagining another round of sentimental words,
the next sentence popped up.
【I’m cold】
Another sentence.
【Not sleeping with you, physically cold. The leather sofa is really cold.】
“…”
With a whoosh.
Xi Leng threw off the blanket and got out of bed.
He rummaged through the closet, finding a thick fleece blanket and a pair of cotton pajama pants.
Min Zhi was wearing ripped jeans today. Even if his knees weren’t exposed, it would still be uncomfortable to sleep in them.
He climbed up to the loft, arms full of soft bundles.
Min Zhi was lying on his back on the sofa bed, his eyes dark and deep, his gaze seemingly fixed on Xi Leng.
Something seemed strange.
Xi Leng walked closer and saw that Min Zhi had removed his earrings.
His left ear was smooth and bare, it looked strangely unfamiliar.
The small black diamond stud on his right earlobe was still there, and Xi Leng couldn’t help but take another look.
Just then, Min Zhi abruptly sat up, the distance between them suddenly shrinking.
Xi Leng froze.
Min Zhi didn’t move any closer, tilting his head slightly to let Xi Leng see his left ear, then said: “After coming back from the beach, I kept dreaming about you, my heart felt so uncomfortable, so I got a piercing.”
“I used to think only gays pierce their right ear, so I always left it empty.”
Xi Leng, unsure how to respond, his eyelashes trembling, lowered his gaze.
“Here, a blanket.”
A blanket landed on Min Zhi.
“And also, a pair of pants. New.”
A pair of pants landed on the blanket.
Min Zhi suddenly chuckled, inexplicably.
Xi Leng looked up at those smiling eyes.
Min Zhi didn’t say anything more, after a while, just two simple words.
“Good night.”
His heart skipped a beat.
He suddenly thought of this idiom, then questioned it.
It shouldn’t be skipping, but pounding.
No wonder, in literature, in lyrics, love was always linked to death, to destruction.
He had plenty of experience dealing with messes and troublesome situations, but this time, he couldn’t seem to handle it.
He hesitated in the loft, wondering if he should let Min Zhi sleep on his bed and take the sofa himself.
After thinking for a long time,
Forget it.
If they started discussing who slept where, they wouldn’t get any sleep tonight.
He hid in the darkness for a while, processing perhaps one ten-thousandth of his turbulent emotions, and softly replied,
“Mm-hmm, good night.”
